The Crucibles of Passionate Leadership: 7 Lessons to Become a Servant Leader

We want to drive impactful change by championing what we believe to be right with passion and leading with vision.

I used to think of myself as a passionate leader.

I was a crusader. Opportunities to turn around situations in big organisations or teams were handed to me, like candies to 5-year-olds when they behave. They made me feel special, and yet little did I know.

I used to thrive in these situations where I was handed an impossible change mission with little guidance. Having a vision comes naturally to me. I spoke vehemently about the need for change, overly passionate at times, doubling down on justifying and defending by all means my thinking in all interactions.

I interrupted abruptly and showed my frustration when others did not see the benefits of the change clearly, and I perceived them as too comfortable with the status quo.

You see, I loved challenging the status quo in areas where I thought I held tons of expertise. In hindsight, I was so naïve to believe that expertise, vision and passion were enough.

I got so frustrated by the slow pace. I took everything way too seriously. Instead of lifting others up I took way too much space. And I could only work with certain types of people, driven and passionate like me.

Over the years, I received feedback that sounded like, "You must learn to bring people along in the journey," "Sometimes you see the path and others simply cannot follow you," or "You sometimes alienate people."

It used to bother and frustrate me a lot. I always assumed passion, vision, and expertise were the main ingredients to move things forward. I even had extraordinary past results that spoke volumes about my capabilities to drive results and change.

Looking back, I see clearly what I was missing. Passion won't take you too far. Vision without collaboration is like a dream without action.

What moves change forward is collaboration and service. Meaningful work is with people and for people.

Here are 7 lessons to help you shift from being a passionate leader to a true servant leader.

1. To influence, you need to be influenced. My myopic perspectives, as right as they might have been, were just ONE way of looking at things. The level of our influence lies in the hands of those willing to be influenced by us.
2. Alex Mathers wrote a brilliant article here explaining the difference between low-performance — self-focused and high-performance — serving others. I missed that by focusing only on results; I was just serving myself.
3. Rome was not built in one day or by one person. As a crusader, I took on way too many big topics and battles that were not mine to fight. Like in the legend of Sisyphus, I rolled a rock up the mountain alone. It was my Achilles heel. Become more selective in choosing worthy battles.
4. Listen to feedback. Don't get consumed by your righteousness. If you resist feedback, you are missing out big time. All our strengths have a darker side, and we must choose to see them.
5. For and with people — Results without people's engagement are meaningless. Doing the right things for others unveils the purpose. It's not about what you do but how, for and with whom you are doing it.
6. Rethink — apply a scientist approach, as Adam Grant brilliantly explains in his book Think Again. Rethinking is unlearning and choosing to be vulnerable and open to others' perspectives. It requires courage to choose to see things differently.
7. Coach others — this was a game changer for me. Coaching forced me to listen deeply so that I understand others' perspectives. It opened my mind and heart to others' struggles. It showed me how the past stories and events we all live shape us in different and meaningful ways.

Have I stopped being passionate?

No, I am a passionate AND collaborative leader. I re-wrote my leadership vision, and today, I see leadership as the greatest opportunity to contribute and grow yourself and others. No other occupation offers as many ways to help others learn and grow while also leading and growing oneself, to contribute to a cause that one cares about and is devoted to, with and for others.

I wrote an article on servant leadership here. You can also check my authentic leadership article here for more insights.

Hi there, I'm Alina 😊. I am a coach and a mentor, and I write about personal growth, leadership, awareness and the power of radical inquiry. If you would like to receive thought-provoking content, join my email list. If you are interested in coaching, drop me a comment.